The Rebel Without Claws

The Rebel Without Claws (sometimes known as Rebel Without Claws) is a "Looney Tunes" cartoon animated short starring Tweety and Sylvester. The cartoon is written by Friz Freleng and directed by Arthur Davis.

The cartoon, one of a number of Warner Bros. cartoons set during the American Civil War, is a play on the movie title Rebel Without a Cause.

The cartoon is also a number of cartoons that was originally cancelled out of theaters as John W. Burton already left Warner Bros. in 1960, leaving the cartoon's production finished by David H. DePatie making the cartoon out of date (expired) by 1961

Storyline
Although the American Civil War was not an unheard-of subject in the Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies series, Rebel Without Claws is rare and unusual in that it portrays the Confederate States Army in a sympathetic light, while casting a negative focus on the Union and its Army. Likewise, the short is a remake of the 1944 short Plane Daffy, albeit with WWII references replaced by Civil War environment and other politically correct changes.

Here, the Confederates want to get an "important message" to General Robert E. Lee, but all the carrier pigeons have been shot down. The soldiers realize that Tweety is their last hope and turn to him for their mission. The Union soldiers learn of the Confederates' attempt and counter with their "Messenger Destroyer," who turns out to be none other than Sylvester. "I tawt I taw a damn Yankee tat," says Tweety just before the chase begins.

The bulk of the cartoon uses battle gags, such as Sylvester getting blown out of a cannon; Tweety momentarily tricking Sylvester into thinking Union soldiers are marching to battle (Sylvester tries to confront the canary but is blown away by Confederate soldiers); and Tweety hiding behind cannons on a fighter ship (Sylvester takes the brunt of more explosions).

Eventually, Sylvester disguises himself as General Lee and grabs Tweety. The bird is taken to the firing line for execution. He states that his only regret is that he has "but one wife to give foh my countwy" (paraphrasing Nathan Hale), to which Sylvester says that he has nine lives, But the commander and his soldiers prove incompetent — they shoot Sylvester instead! "It's a good thing I have got nine lives! With this kind of an army, I'll need 'em!"

Controversy

The Cartoon was originally considered a Censored Eleven cartoon, in which it doesn't broadcast today in the United States. In several cases the cartoon is racial stereotyping casting a negative focus on the Union and its Army.